Literary Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Postmodern Analysis

Enlightenment rationalism, Romantic moralism, and postmodern skepticism are explored through a paired study of Voltaire's Candide, the film The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), and Forrest Gump (1994). Literary satire and cinematic narrative are treated as primary sources for tracing how innocence, justice, suffering, and authority are reinterpreted across eras. Candide models Enlightenment irony and limits of rational optimism, while Monte Cristo reframes similar narrative structures through providence, redemption, and emotional truth aligned with Romanticism. AP European History prompts on Napoleon and revolutionary legacy anchor comparative writing tasks and discussion. A salon-style simulation and structured film analysis position learners to evaluate ideological continuity and contradiction. The recurring “naive wanderer” narrative becomes a tool for analyzing how culture, memory, and moral meaning shift from reason, to faith, to irony.